Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Helpers--production workers (SOC 51-9198) employed 165,700 people in May 2025. The median pay is $39,070 a year ($18.78 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $31,140 and the highest-paid 10% more than $53,410. BLS projects its employment to change by -8.2% between 2025 and 2035 (about 20,900 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest median pay: North Dakota ($46,170), Montana ($46,110), Iowa ($45,560). Most jobs: Texas (30,470), California (16,730), Alabama (7,230).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,140 | $14.97 |
| 25th percentile | $35,220 | $16.93 |
| Median | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Mean | $41,120 | $19.77 |
| 75th percentile | $45,990 | $22.11 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $53,410 | $25.68 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 167,400 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 153,600 |
| Change in jobs | -13,800 |
| Percent change | -8.2% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 20,900 |
| Self-employed share | 1.7% |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7,230 | 3.21 | $35,910 | $27,060 | $45,840 | -8% | 36% |
| Alaska | 280 | 0.81 | $42,530 | $37,210 | $63,760 | +9% | 41% |
| Arizona | 1,350 | 0.39 | $39,680 | $33,930 | $48,740 | +2% | 51% |
| Arkansas | 6,760 | 4.86 | $35,540 | $34,270 | $44,600 | -9% | 33% |
| California | 16,730 | 0.86 | $43,970 | $36,640 | $62,130 | +13% | 57% |
| Colorado | 1,350 | 0.44 | $45,550 | $35,810 | $54,910 | +17% | 48% |
| Connecticut | 1,400 | 0.77 | $45,260 | $35,270 | $59,130 | +16% | 41% |
| Delaware | 230 | 0.44 | $38,380 | $35,090 | $47,180 | -2% | 48% |
| Florida | 5,010 | 0.47 | $37,950 | $30,970 | $49,270 | -3% | 57% |
| Georgia | 4,480 | 0.86 | $36,280 | $28,470 | $50,100 | -7% | 50% |
| Hawaii | 230 | 0.34 | $44,380 | $35,430 | $62,820 | +14% | 53% |
| Idaho | 1,140 | 1.25 | $38,240 | $32,460 | $47,380 | -2% | 43% |
| Illinois | 5,210 | 0.80 | $41,480 | $36,550 | $59,590 | +6% | 38% |
| Indiana | 2,450 | 0.72 | $42,210 | $31,270 | $50,740 | +8% | 31% |
| Iowa | 2,070 | 1.25 | $45,560 | $34,850 | $54,390 | +17% | 26% |
| Kansas | 1,430 | 0.93 | $37,320 | $30,640 | $51,000 | -4% | 35% |
| Kentucky | 2,900 | 1.36 | $42,130 | $35,730 | $54,420 | +8% | 28% |
| Louisiana | 3,710 | 1.80 | $36,400 | $28,160 | $49,100 | -7% | 35% |
| Maine | 470 | 0.70 | $44,120 | $33,180 | $57,910 | +13% | 33% |
| Maryland | 1,650 | 0.56 | $44,680 | $32,210 | $61,060 | +14% | 46% |
| Massachusetts | 1,790 | 0.46 | $42,280 | $34,390 | $58,050 | +8% | 52% |
| Michigan | 3,610 | 0.77 | $41,660 | $32,240 | $50,240 | +7% | 34% |
| Minnesota | 2,570 | 0.82 | $44,720 | $36,040 | $57,270 | +14% | 35% |
| Mississippi | 3,540 | 2.85 | $33,880 | $30,420 | $47,440 | -13% | 35% |
| Missouri | 6,250 | 2.00 | $40,580 | $34,330 | $56,160 | +4% | 32% |
| Montana | 220 | 0.41 | $46,110 | $33,280 | $50,690 | +18% | 31% |
| Nebraska | 700 | 0.64 | $45,020 | $28,080 | $54,470 | +15% | 29% |
| Nevada | 680 | 0.41 | $39,730 | $28,810 | $51,960 | +2% | 52% |
| New Hampshire | 690 | 0.94 | $42,740 | $35,480 | $47,340 | +9% | 44% |
| New Jersey | 4,450 | 0.97 | $39,290 | $32,440 | $58,520 | +1% | 55% |
| New Mexico | 810 | 0.87 | $35,650 | $30,820 | $46,200 | -9% | 38% |
| New York | 3,810 | 0.37 | $43,540 | $35,140 | $58,250 | +11% | 45% |
| North Carolina | 4,350 | 0.83 | $39,410 | $30,350 | $50,580 | +1% | 41% |
| North Dakota | 220 | 0.49 | $46,170 | $30,940 | $60,980 | +18% | 25% |
| Ohio | 4,280 | 0.72 | $39,600 | $33,330 | $51,840 | +1% | 33% |
| Oklahoma | 2,200 | 1.21 | $36,240 | $27,460 | $46,710 | -7% | 35% |
| Oregon | 2,420 | 1.15 | $45,390 | $35,560 | $56,850 | +16% | 42% |
| Pennsylvania | 6,450 | 1.00 | $41,060 | $31,110 | $54,550 | +5% | 37% |
| Rhode Island | 210 | 0.39 | $44,720 | $31,300 | $56,370 | +14% | 38% |
| South Carolina | 1,950 | 0.79 | $36,610 | $26,570 | $50,830 | -6% | 42% |
| Tennessee | 5,270 | 1.51 | $38,330 | $30,280 | $51,120 | -2% | 40% |
| Texas | 30,470 | 2.03 | $36,610 | $28,420 | $47,840 | -6% | 48% |
| Utah | 1,000 | 0.54 | $37,110 | $31,690 | $51,540 | -5% | 52% |
| Vermont | 270 | 0.84 | $39,540 | $34,790 | $63,190 | +1% | 40% |
| Virginia | 3,900 | 0.89 | $37,740 | $31,000 | $52,000 | -3% | 52% |
| Washington | 3,620 | 0.96 | $45,450 | $37,020 | $60,560 | +16% | 48% |
| West Virginia | 670 | 0.89 | $39,190 | $31,670 | $55,860 | +0% | 27% |
| Wisconsin | 2,900 | 0.92 | $45,100 | $34,670 | $61,010 | +15% | 30% |
| Wyoming | 280 | 0.93 | $40,200 | $30,060 | $63,840 | +3% | 30% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | 340 | $54,550 | $28,590 | $54,550 | 1.81 |
| New Haven, CT | 320 | $49,900 | $36,860 | $59,130 | 1.07 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 500 | $48,690 | $35,640 | $57,700 | 0.78 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 420 | $48,520 | $40,900 | $50,030 | 4.70 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 420 | $48,470 | $38,890 | $61,060 | 3.68 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 350 | $47,850 | $34,630 | $56,900 | 3.74 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 380 | $47,320 | $36,100 | $60,450 | 1.22 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,590 | $47,120 | $38,090 | $62,240 | 0.97 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,080 | $46,980 | $39,250 | $61,040 | 0.94 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 420 | $46,610 | $36,310 | $56,890 | 0.57 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,170 | $46,410 | $36,970 | $52,720 | 1.00 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,480 | $46,290 | $37,340 | $63,060 | 0.58 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 640 | $46,220 | $36,950 | $56,560 | 0.38 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 670 | $46,170 | $42,630 | $62,340 | 0.55 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 420 | $45,870 | $37,450 | $51,220 | 2.16 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,270 | $45,620 | $34,950 | $57,340 | 0.99 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 710 | $44,910 | $37,510 | $62,130 | 0.61 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 400 | $44,870 | $36,960 | $55,150 | 2.37 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,800 | $44,770 | $36,510 | $58,110 | 0.87 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 300 | $44,350 | $35,980 | $55,490 | 1.08 |
| Rochester, NY | 500 | $43,820 | $36,070 | $59,660 | 0.95 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,100 | $43,240 | $35,360 | $58,080 | 0.38 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,990 | $43,210 | $36,110 | $59,890 | 1.09 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,230 | $42,980 | $33,140 | $50,890 | 0.61 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 950 | $42,950 | $31,700 | $65,710 | 0.28 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,810 | $42,490 | $36,420 | $59,940 | 1.02 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 950 | $42,390 | $34,910 | $50,590 | 1.49 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 460 | $42,240 | $30,060 | $51,510 | 1.18 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,840 | $42,210 | $35,350 | $58,030 | 1.58 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 580 | $41,820 | $33,330 | $51,760 | 0.67 |
| Cleveland, OH | 510 | $41,730 | $32,370 | $50,370 | 0.47 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 420 | $41,720 | $34,930 | $50,310 | 0.75 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,710 | $41,480 | $36,490 | $50,660 | 0.77 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 440 | $41,450 | $32,470 | $49,320 | 1.10 |
| Knoxville, TN | 470 | $41,330 | $31,570 | $50,690 | 1.05 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 770 | $41,240 | $31,530 | $53,760 | 0.65 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 460 | $41,160 | $31,200 | $57,260 | 0.32 |
| Springfield, MO | 480 | $41,040 | $31,810 | $54,120 | 2.00 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 480 | $40,980 | $33,120 | $51,000 | 0.59 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,780 | $40,970 | $33,280 | $59,720 | 0.47 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,150 | $40,600 | $32,080 | $52,150 | 0.79 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,190 | $40,580 | $32,220 | $54,540 | 0.71 |
| Fresno, CA | 490 | $40,540 | $35,610 | $53,340 | 0.96 |
| Richmond, VA | 530 | $40,450 | $31,310 | $48,480 | 0.75 |
| Lancaster, PA | 620 | $40,400 | $32,990 | $48,500 | 2.29 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 300 | $40,350 | $40,350 | $52,010 | 3.42 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 480 | $40,350 | $28,810 | $54,180 | 0.40 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 410 | $40,240 | $32,060 | $55,480 | 0.46 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,290 | $40,190 | $35,000 | $56,660 | 1.60 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 310 | $39,760 | $33,550 | $50,900 | 0.39 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,010 | $39,720 | $34,730 | $49,480 | 0.40 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 430 | $39,630 | $32,240 | $52,830 | 1.51 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 640 | $39,410 | $34,620 | $50,580 | 3.92 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 410 | $39,300 | $38,360 | $52,270 | 7.00 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 710 | $39,250 | $28,620 | $49,840 | 1.49 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 480 | $39,240 | $27,700 | $57,560 | 0.73 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 460 | $39,020 | $33,830 | $55,820 | 0.60 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 500 | $38,990 | $28,150 | $58,170 | 1.32 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,150 | $38,870 | $29,550 | $49,750 | 0.83 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 320 | $38,850 | $28,390 | $70,190 | 0.89 |
The median is $39,070 a year ($18.78 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $31,140 and the highest-paid tenth over $53,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
165,700 in May 2025, and BLS projects -8.2% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS).
North Dakota, with a median of $46,170 (among states with published figures).